Eagletarian Blog

As the draft draws closer, and the rumors persist about a lot of activity in the first round, the Eagles, as usual, are projected as one of the teams that could make a move.

Part of that might be what seems to be their almost genetic predisposition to make a deal in Round 1. In the last 9 years, the Eagles have only selected in their own spot three times. (See the deals below).

The most popular theory going around the mock world is that the Eagles would move up to either the seventh or eighth spot to get Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. ESPN's Mel Kiper has the Eagles moving up to 7 in a deal with Jacksonville. Todd McShay also has the Eagles moving up in his latest projection as well.

Cox certainly won't still be there at 15. "I think he could end up going nine to Carolina if he doesn't go earlier," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "He can play on the edge. He's a 4-3 end but I think he's better suited in a 4-3 as a defensive tackle. He's stout and can push the pocket."

Here is what Les and Domo had to say about the Eagles' chances of landing him:

Domo: Cox is the top-rated DT in the draft. Jim Washburn no doubt would kill to have this guy in his wide-nine toy chest. The 6-4, 298-pounder ran a 4.79 forty and a 1.63 10-yard split at the combine, which is unheard of for a guy his size. He can play inside or outside. But if the Eagles want Cox, they're going to have to trade up. He could go as high as sixth and almost certainly won't slide further than 12.

Les: Lots of people think the Eagles would like to trade up into the top 10 to get him. He seems perfect for them — able to play inside and outside, able to give that crucial push up the middle. Whether at 15 or through trading up, this would be a pick few fans would fault.

Whether it is to take Cox or someone else, here is a look at the Eagles' first-round moves over the last 9 years:

In the last nine drafts, the Eagles have selected in their designated spot in the first round only three times. Here is a rundownof their deals involving first-round picks:

2003

The pick: 30th

What happened: Traded to San Diego to moveup 15 slots to select Miami defensive end Jerome McDougle at No. 15 in exchange for a first (cornerback Sammy Davis) and a second (free safety Terrence Kiel).

2004

The pick: 28th

What happened: Traded to San Francisco to move up 12 spots to select Arkansas guard/tackle Shawn Andrews at No. 16 in exchange for a first and a second. The Niners traded the first to Carolina (cornerback Chris Gamble) and selected cornerback Shawntae Spencer with the second-round pick.

What happened: Traded to Dallas to move out of the first round in exchange for a second (Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb), a third (Nebraska linebacker Stewart Bradley), and a fifth (Clemson safety C.J. Gaddis). Dallas selected Purdue defensive end Anthony Spencer.

2008

The pick: 19th

What happened: Traded to Carolina in exchange for a second (later traded to Minnesota), a fourth (Pittsburgh guard Mike McGlynn), and a first in 2009 (traded to Buffalo as part of the Jason Peters deal). In the trade with the Vikings, the Eagles traded a second (Arkansas State free safety Tyrell Johnson) and a fifth (Florida State defensive tackle Letroy Guion) in exchange for a second (Notre Dame defensive tackle Trevor Laws) and a fourth (UTEP safety Quintin Demps).

2009

The pick: 21st

What happened: Traded to Cleveland along with a sixth to move up two slots to No. 19 to select Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. The Browns, picking in the Eagles’ original slot, selected Cal center Alex Mack and then chose Clemson running back James Davis with the pick they acquired in the sixth round.

2010

The pick: 24th

What happened: Traded to Denver along with two third-round picks to move up 11 spots to select Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham. The pick eventually ended up with Dallas, which used it to select Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant. Denver traded one of the third-round picks to Baltimore and selected Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker with the other.